District 11 names three new academic chiefs as part of curriculum-focused reorganization

Colorado Springs School District 11 announced a reorganization of its academic leadership on April 2, introducing three new chief roles—chief of curriculum, chief of instruction and chief of student experience and success—that will take effect July 1.

The reorganization, presented by Superintendent Gahl, is intended to shift central-office resources toward academics and classroom support without reducing teaching positions, the administration said. The district described the change as budget-neutral; central-office staffing will be reduced to preserve funding for teachers.

District leaders said the move replaces a single chief of academics and two principals-on-special-assignment with a three-person leadership team focused on aligning instructional strategy and coaching to student learning. Superintendent Gahl said the goal is to form a “team of teams” around student learning so teachers receive more direct, on-site coaching and curriculum support.

The board heard brief introductions from the three appointees. Dr. Carol Frey, introduced as chief of curriculum, described her background in school leadership and coaching and said she intends to focus on aligning professional development with on-site coaching. Crystal (surname given in the meeting as Rasmussen), introduced as chief of instruction, said she planned to leverage purchased resources and coordinate rigor and relevance across grades. Deirdre (surname given in the meeting as Shearer/Deirdre), introduced as chief of student experience and success, said she would prioritize access to high-quality instruction and rapid intervention for students at risk.

Board members asked the new leaders about professional development, how curriculum choices would be adapted and how the team would coordinate with existing school coaches. The new chiefs said the work will be done collaboratively with school leaders and integrated into ongoing coaching and PLC (professional learning community) structures.

Superintendent Gahl and the new chiefs told the board that work sessions and design-thinking sessions are scheduled in the weeks after the announcement to define roles and operational details before the July 1 effective date. The board did not take a formal vote on the reorganization at the meeting; the administration described the plan as an organizational implementation timed with the district’s contract year.

The district said the reorganization responds to persistent gaps in grade-level proficiency—“still only about 4 in 10 of our kids are achieving on grade level,” the administration said—and seeks to provide more in-classroom instructional support to address that gap.

Board members requested follow-up updates from the new chiefs during the coming months so trustees can monitor how the new structure affects coaching, curriculum rollouts and classroom outcomes.